Liquid colorant spray device

ABSTRACT

A non-lethal hand held liquid spray paint grenade utilizing a single, curved, and uninterrupted reservoir design, expandable and permanently sealed on one end with a crimping device of sufficient strength to close the single tube channel and maintain a liquid tight seal. The device consists of a spherical neck plug, and neck plug safety retainer, which allows filling to be completed through a fully assembled unit thus eliminating the difficult task of trying to seal and cap a pressurized grenade. The present invention utilizes a single curved tube with a single discharge opening to create a circular self-propelling motion. This forces the discharging grenade to make multiple rotations in its impact area, thus decreasing the targets ability to remain unmarked. To operate, remove safety plug retainer ring by pulling attached removing device and throw at target. When the grenade impacts an object with sufficient force the neck plug is dislodged and expelled from the neck by the pressurized colorant escaping the reservoir. The energy generated from the impact causes the grenade to bounce up in the air while the force of its pressurized discharge keeps the grenade airborne and spinning thought its entire discharge, greatly increasing its colorant marking area.

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of provisional application No. 60/381,701 filed on May 20, 2002.

[0002] This application also claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/430,754 filed on Dec. 5, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The military has long engaged in simulated war games as a method of training personnel in the arts of weaponry and combat. Non-military personnel have been engaged in simulated war games as a form of recreation. Whether military or civilian, those engaged in such games use weapons that launch colorant projectiles as a means of identifying another whom has been hit and is therefore eliminated from the game.

[0004] These colorant filled projectiles are spherical capsules having an outer layer made of gelatin and inner oil based paint fill. When a player is hit with one of these paintballs from an opponent's gun, the paintball ruptures and leaves a visible mark on the player eliminating them from the game. These colorant projectiles commonly known as paintballs are launched from hand held marking guns commonly called paintball guns. Compressed air and gas are used to propel the paintballs towards their intended targets.

[0005] It is popular in the art to use alternative nonlethal marking devices while playing paintball. Such devices include land mines, grenades, bazookas, mortars, tanks and other anti-personnel/tanks weapons. The paint grenade is a hand held device that is thrown towards an intended target, spraying it with a liquid colorant thus eliminating it from the game.

[0006] A variety of handheld paint grenades are known in the art. They are all non-lethal and have a variety of different operating designs which include: Gas powered grenades (paintball projectiles); gas powered grenades (liquid colorant projectile); pyrotechnics, exploding grenades (liquid colorant projectile); pressurized rubber tube grenades (liquid colorant projectile); chemical reaction exploding grenades (liquid colorant projectile). These devices have deficiencies which include: labor intensive manufacturing; high cost manufacturing components; unreasonable consumer cost; complicated to operate or reload; difficult to find or retrieve (reusable models); inconsistent performance; unreliable discharge/explosion; small marking zone.

[0007] Thus, there is a need in the art for a liquid spray paint grenade that gives a marking zone similar to that of a real military grenade, is simple to produce, inexpensive to manufacture, cost effective for the consumer, easy to operate, and similar in design to a authentic military grenade.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the known prior art devices by offering such features as a colorant marking zone similar to that of a real military grenade, simple to produce, inexpensive to manufacture, cost effective for the consumer, easy to operate, and similar in design to a authentic military grenade.

[0009] Technically speaking, the device can be broken down into 8 individually functioning parts. Permanently sealed tube end; curved, expanded reservoir, pressurized liquid colorant fill, neck, neck plug device, neck plug retainer safety, neck plug retainer safety pull-ring and muzzle.

[0010] The permanently sealed tube end located at the bottom of the grenade comprises a crimping device with sufficient strength to close the single tube channel and maintain a liquid tight seal without the need to fold the tube over and fasten both sections together. This crimping device also eliminates the need to create a second chamber of equal pressure to maintain a leak proof seal. (Permanently sealing one of the two tube ends forces the colorant to discharge through only one end of the tube giving the grenade a self-propelling action.) The reservoir consists of a single tube that expands as the liquid colorant is pressure injected into the tube. The expanded reservoir is then bent into a curved shape and stores the colorant until discharge. The curved reservoir angles and offsets the neck from the grenades center axis, which creates the spinning action while the grenade reservoir is expelling its liquid colorant. This causes the grenade to discharge its contents in same area of impact, increasing the spray pattern predictability and the chance of target elimination.

[0011] The pressurized liquid colorant is the marking agent that is forced out of the grenade when the expanded tube contracts back to its original shape during discharge. The pressurized liquid colorant is stored in the expanded reservoir and is of a non-toxic, biodegradable nature.

[0012] The neck plug device is sphere shaped, and located inside the neck channel. The neck plug device must have a diameter greater than that of the neck channels inside diameter. The neck plug device prevents the liquid paint from escaping the reservoir once the neck plug safety retainer is removed. The neck plug is dislodged by hydrostatic shock created when the paint grenade is subjected to an impact force of sufficient intensity. The paint grenade impacting a firm surface such as the ground after being thrown by the user is the general cause of this action. The neck plug is then forced through the neck channel out of the muzzle by the hydraulic pressure enacted upon the liquid colorant by the expanded sidewalls of the tube reservoir. The neck plug device must have a specific gravity greater than that of the liquid paint fill for the inverted (muzzle down) filling process to work.

[0013] The neck plug safety retainer is temporarily affixed around the outside of the neck and positioned between the muzzle and the neck plug device. The neck plug safety retainer is a device that restricts the neck channel a sufficient amount as to prevent the neck plug device from escaping the muzzle prematurely. It must however leave a sufficient opening to allow reservoir filling during production and be free enough for removal by the user before throwing.

[0014] The neck plug safety retainer pull-ring is connected to the neck plug safety retainer. The neck plug safety retainer pull-ring aids in the removal of the neck plug safety retainer from the paint grenade neck before throwing.

[0015] The muzzle is the opening at the top end of the tube neck by which the neck plug device and the liquid colorant are expelled.

Manufacturing Process

[0016] The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the known prior art devices by providing a faster, more cost effective means by which to produce a paint grenade. The reservoir filling process for this liquid spray paint grenade is unique and offers multiple advantages over the currently existing devices. One end of the tube is permanently sealed with the crimping process. The neck plug device and neck plug safety retainer are put in place before the filling process is started. With the muzzle down, liquid colorant is pressure injected through the reduced neck channel into the expandable tube reservoir. After the reservoir is expanded to the desired size, the colorant injection process is stopped. With the liquid paint no longer entering the reservoir, the neck plug device settles to the lower most portion of the reservoir, referred to as the neck channel opening (not illustrated). When the colorant filled body is removed from the filling device, the pressurized liquid colorant forces the neck-plug device into the neck channel, stopping as it seats against the restricted portion of the neck channel created by the neck plug safety retainer. The neck plug remains seated against the restricted portion of the neck channel until the neck plug safety retainer is removed and the neck plug is forced from the neck out of the muzzle by an impact of sufficient force to dislodge it.

Manufacturing Advantages

[0017] The advantage of the present inventions manufacturing process is a liquid spray paint grenade that requires less manufacturing components and significantly reduces the manufacturing time required to complete a unit, which reduces overall cost. Typically a fold would be made and secured at the tube ends to maintain a liquid tight seal. The unfolded permanently sealed tube end in the present invention is of sufficient strength to seal the liquid colorant contents inside the reservoir thus eliminating the fold, using less tube material, taking less time, and giving a more realistic appearance. It is another object of the present invention that provides a neck plug retainer safety that simply reduces the neck channel opening, creating a shoulder and seal area for the neck plug without having to fold the neck tube. This allows the filling to be done and the pressurized colorant to be retained in a single step, producing a completely filled and sealed unit instantly following the grenades removal from the filling device, thus saving much time and mess.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a cut, side view of the liquid spray paint grenade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Referring now to the drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the view in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1 the liquid spray paint grenade is illustrated in the vertical position as viewed from the side. Generally speaking the liquid spray paint grenade is divided into eight main parts; permanently crimped tube end 1, curved liquid-filled latex reservoir 2, neck 3, neck plug device 4, neck plug safety retainer 5, neck plug safety retainer pull-ring 6, muzzle 7, and the pressurized liquid paint 8.

[0020] Generally speaking, as best shown in FIG. 1, the illustrated embodiments operational procedures are as follows. Grasp the curved, liquid filled latex reservoir 2 with the hand in which the grenade is to be thrown. Remove the neck plug safety retainer 5 from the neck 3 by pulling the neck plug safety retainer pull-ring 6. The grenade is ready now to be thrown towards a target. When the grenade strikes an object with sufficient impact, the neck plug device 4 dislodges and is forced through the neck 3 out of the muzzle 7 by the pressurized liquid escaping the curved latex reservoir 2. 1,815,300 07/1931 Harris 3,528,662 September 1970 Merchant et al. 3,785,569 January 1974 Helmrich 3,791,303 February 1974 Sweeney et al. 3,878,639 April 1975 Sheelar et al. 4,627,354 December 1986 Diamond et al. 4,684,137 August 1987 Armer. JR. et al. 4,932,672 June 1990 Tippmann 4,944,521 July 1990 Greeno 5,018,449 May 1991 Eidson II 5,590,886 January 1997 Lush 5,996,503 December 1999 Woodall et al.

References Cited

[0021]1,815,300 07/1931 Harris

[0022]3,528,662 09/1970 Merchant et al.

[0023]3,785,569 01/1974 Helmrich

[0024]3,791,303 02/1974 Sweeney et al.

[0025]3,878,639 04/1975 Sheelar et al.

[0026]4,627,354 12/1986 Diamond et al.

[0027]4,684,137 08/1987 Armer. JR. et al.

[0028]4,932,672 06/1990 Tippmann

[0029]4,944,521 07/1990 Greeno

[0030]5,018,449 05/1991 Eidson II

[0031]5,590,886 01/1997 Lush

[0032]5,996,503 12/1999 Woodall et al. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hand held liquid spray paint grenade comprised of an expandable tube, permanently sealed tube end device, single uninterrupted reservoir that is purposefully bent into a curved shape, pressure filled with scented liquid colorant in an inverted position with a sphere shaped neck plug device for containing the pressurized colorant.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said permanently sealed tube end device consists of a metal crimp of sufficient strength to close the tube channel and maintain a permanent seal without the need to pinch the tube shut with a fold or have another pressurized body behind the first to balance the pressure in the first to prevent leakage.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said scented liquid colorant is of a non-toxic water-washable nature and is pressure injected into the expandable tube reservoir for later expulsion upon a target as selected by the user.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said expandable tube is approximately three inches in length, about seven-sixteenths outside diameter, about one-quarter inch inside diameter, and one-eighth inch wall thickness, comprising one permanently sealed tube end and one open end referred to as the muzzle by which the device is filled during manufacturing process and also by which the device is relieved during the liquid colorant expulsion process. The open end is temporarily blocked by sphere shaped plug device about {fraction (21/64)} inches in diameter.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said liquid filled tube reservoir is consists of a single uninterrupted reservoir body that is purposefully bent into a curved shape, offsetting the neck from its center axis to create a spinning action while the grenade reservoir is expelling its scented liquid colorant contents.
 6. The device of claim 4, wherein said neck plug device is immobilized by the pressurized colorant on one side and the neck plug safety retainer on the other side which is temporarily affixed around the outside of the neck and positioned between the muzzle and the neck plug device and reduces the neck channel opening to create a shoulder inside the neck channel for which the neck plug can seat.
 7. The device of claim 4, wherein said neck plug device is sphere shaped with a diameter greater than that of the neck channels inside diameter, and a specific gravity greater than that of the liquid colorant thereby using the force of gravity to position the neck plug device in the neck channel opening (not illustrated) at the conclusion of the filling process.
 8. The device of claim 6, wherein said neck plug safety retainer is temporarily affixed around the outside of the neck and positioned between the muzzle and the neck plug device restricting the inside neck channel a sufficient amount as to prevent the neck plug device from escaping the muzzle prematurely while leaving a sufficient opening for the liquid colorant to be injected into the reservoir during the filling process.
 9. The device of claim 6, wherein said neck plug safety retainer, affixed around the neck encompasses an exterior mounting member for attaching the neck plug safety retainer pull-ring.
 10. The device of claim 9, wherein said safety retainer pull-ring is affixed to the neck plug safety retainer exterior mounting member and is used to aid in the removal of the neck plug safety retainer.
 11. The device of claim 6, wherein said neck plug safety retainer creates a reduction of the neck channel forming a seat which restrains the neck plug device inside the neck channel while creating a seal to maintain the pressurized liquid colorant inside the expanded reservoir without the necessity of a fold and or cap at the tube end or a second pressurized chamber to retain the pressurized liquid colorant.
 12. The device of claim 9, wherein said neck plug safety retainer pull-ring is mounted to the exterior member of the neck plug safety retainer and of sufficient size to allow a finger inside the ring, aids in the removal of the neck plug safety retainer from the grenade before throwing.
 13. The device of claim 4, wherein said muzzle is the opening at the top end of the tube neck whereby the neck plug device and liquid paint are expelled.
 14. The unique liquid spray paint grenade manufacturing process comprising: a specified length of tube; a neck plug device; neck plug safety retainer and permanently sealed tube end crimp are installed prior to the filling process. Placing the muzzle down, scented liquid colorant is pressure injected through the reduced neck channel into the expandable latex tube reservoir; after the reservoir is expanded to the desired size, the injected process is complete; with the liquid paint no longer entering the reservoir, the neck plug device will settle to the lower most portion of the reservoir referred to as the neck channel opening (not illustrated) When the filled grenade is removed from the filling station, the pressurized liquid paint forces the neck plug device into the neck channel stopping as it seats against the restricted portion of the neck channel created by the neck plug safety retainer. The neck plug safety retainer pull-ring is attached to the exterior member of the neck plug safety retainer. The single liquid filled reservoir chamber is purposefully bent into a curved shape.
 15. The liquid spray paint grenades operating procedures consist of holding the curved, colorant filled reservoir with one hand while removing the neck plug safety retainer from the neck by pulling the neck plug safety retainer pull-ring. When the grenade is thrown and strikes an object with sufficient impact, hydrostatic pressure created by the impacting force upon the liquid colorant inside the reservoir dislodges the neck plug device allowing the pressurized liquid colorant to force itself and the neck plug through the neck channel exiting the muzzle. The pressurized liquid colorant escaping the curved reservoir, forces the embodiment to spin is the same general location of its original impact, which increases the effect of the discharge. 